The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-03
CHAPTER XIII.


ship was greatly eased. In almost ev,
cry sea that we had encountered since
leaving England, l had observed the
deep-lying hull by the weight of her
lofty spars; and by the effect which
the carrying-away of the foretop-mast
had produced, | had no doubt that our
position would be rendered far less
critical, while the vessel would rise to
the waves with much greater ease. if
we could rid her of 4 portion of her
immense tOp-weight.
| waited until the bOatswain came
aft, and then surrendered the wheel to
Cornish; after which l crOuched with
the boatswain under The lee of the
companion, where. at least, we could
hear each others voices.
''She pitches easier since the foretop-
mast went, bosom. There is still too
much top-hamper. The main-roYal
stay is gone, and the mast cant stand
long. | think, unless we stay it for ard
again. But we mustn't lose the top
mast"
No. we can't do without him. Yet
there's risk of him goin' too. if you
SuI AWAY lilC IOp-Sdil III DdChSL'tyS
What's to prevent him?" said he, look
ing up at the mast.
''Oh, | know how to prevent 1t" l
replied. IN 90 aloft with hand-saw
and wound the mast What do you
think? Snail we let it carry away?"
Yes hereplied, promptly. Shell
be another ship with them maSts out of
her. If it comes on fine Wen make
shift 10 bend on the new foresail, and
get jib on her by stay from the
lower masthead to the bowSprit end.
Then he continued, calculating on
his fingers. 1--WE shall have the main top
mast staysl. mizzen, mizzentOp-s'l-
six and two makes height-height sails
on her-a bloomin' show o canvass
He ran his eyes aloft and said, en-
phatically:
I'm for lcttin' of EN- 90, most sar-
tinly.n
l got up, but he caught hold of my
arm.
.Tll 90 aloft, said he.
mo, no." l replied, Its my turn.
You stand By to cut away the lanyards
TO leeward, and then get to windward
and wait for me. We must watch for
q heavy lurch. for we don't want the
sparS to fall amidshipS and drive a hole
through the deck. "
So saving | made for the cabin lately
shared between the carpenter and the
boatswain where | procured saw
from the tool chest. Before going
aloft / sounded the well and found the
ship perfectly tight. This discovery
filled me with Joy.
With incredible toll l succeeded in
gaining the croSs-trees, and, taking
the saw, ! went to work ut the mast
with it. saving the mast just under
the yard, so that it might go clean off
at that place.
When sawed deep enough l cut
away the weather rigging and sung
out to the boatswain to cut away to
leeward.
BY the time.I reached the deck all
was adrift to leeward, and the mast
was now held in its place by the
weather backstays. l dropped into
the chains and there helped the boats
vain with my knife, and, watching an
opportunity when the ship rolled
heavily to 1eeward, we cut through the
lanyards of the top-gallant backstay.
and the whole structure of spar, yards |
and rigging went tying overheard.
Encouraged by the success OF these |
operations. and we'll knowing that a |
large measure of our safety depended !
upon our easing the ship of her top |
hammer, sung out that we would |
now cut away the neutrality-suspicious. |
mast and once more went aloft |
though the boatswain begged hard to |
take my place this time.
This spar, being much lighter and |
smaller, did not threaten me so daR-
gerously as the other had done. and, |
In tolerably short space of time, we |
had sent it flying overheard after the |
main-top-gallant mast; and all this we
DID without further injury 10 ourselves |
man a temporary deprivation of
strength and breath.
The ship had now the appearance of
a wreck; and yet in her mutilated con-
'dltion was safer than she had been at /
any moment since the gale first sprung
up. The easing her of all this top
weight seemed to make her as buovant
as though we had got q hundred tons
of cargo out of her. Indeed, was
now satisfied. providing every thing
stood, and the wind did not increase /
in violence, that she would be able to
ride out the gale.
Cornish las well as the boatswain
and myself) was soaked through and |
through; we therefore arranged that
the boatswain and | should 60 below